


Shredded Capes

by 2020officiallysucks



Category: Original Work
Genre: EVE - Freeform, James - Freeform, SmallTown, Superheroes, Supers, Supervillain, goodandevil, highschool, powers, super, unistudent, villain
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:27:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26317939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2020officiallysucks/pseuds/2020officiallysucks
Summary: "You don't need a cape to be a superhero" is what my grandma used to say. If she were here right now, I would most likely agree with her, I would say, "Maybe you're right, maybe it's not about the cape, it's if the hero is truly a hero.".      .       ."I would tell you my life is normal, but then I'd be lying"Eve Harvey has never had a normal life. But between her abusive father, a mother who left when she was 8 and a non-existent social life, it's never been particularly interesting either. When an accidental meeting between her and the famous super, Ventum, flips everything she's known upside down, and a new guy comes into her life, she is forced to make a decision. What will she choose, good or evil?
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	1. James' POV

My costume hangs on me with parts flapping in the breeze. The only piece not damaged being my mask. I fly down to the ground, collapsing not so gracefully on the hard asphalt ground. A cough exits my mouth whilst I’m bent over, collapsed on my hands and knees. Smoke has begun to gather around the destruction, bringing with it breathing difficulties for me. 

“Oh Ventum!” A voice calls from the smoke, “You’re not scared are you?” It rings in my ears, ruining the small period of silence. “But you’d never be scared of me, would you? You’re the brave Ventum, and I’m just poor little Hex.” A cackle follows her sentence, as well as a whooshing sound, meaning she’s flying around searching for me.

I stand up slowly, gathering all my last droplets of energy. “I am scared, Hex,” the clouds of dust part near where I’m standing and Hex emerges, an evil smirk on her face. “I’m scared for you. I’m scared of what you’ve become.”

Hex snarls at me and bares her teeth as a dog would. “I haven’t-” Her head snaps back, eyes glazing over for a second. 

“HELP J-” She falls into my arms, looking peaceful for a moment until a growl emanates from her throat, and Hex comes back to power.

“I will always help you.”

  
_One month earlier:_

The music booms loudly around the house. God knows whose house it actually is. The music is so loud that the floors and walls are rattling. I navigate my way through the drunk, mostly underage, teenagers. The air is stuffy and smells like the combined stench of alcohol and vomit. I’m not sure whose idea it was to have a party for a heap of teenagers on New Year Eve, whoever it was is an idiot. Already, I can sense something is going to go wrong. I arrived 5 hours ago at 9pm and the party is still going strong. I think I’m the only sober one here. Apart from maybe the designated drivers of each respective friend group. 

I sigh, crossing my arms over my chest, before leaning back on the kitchen bench. The only reason I’m here is because of Maddie. She was ‘absolutely desperate’ to go to this damn party and made me agree to go with her in front of my parents. If I hadn’t grudgingly said yes, then there was no way she would’ve been allowed to come. Of course, the last time I saw her was when we walked through the door. She immediately went to join her boyfriend, who in my opinion, is a complete jerk. I’ve met him twice, officially. Once when Maddie introduced him to me at school and then when our parents insisted on him coming over to our house for dinner. 

I honestly think she should just break up with him. I keep catching him with other girls but she won’t believe me. Something about me being ‘destined to hate him’ because I’m her big brother. A group of people walk past, the stench of alcohol strong. A petite girl is standing in the centre of their group, laughing along to something they’re saying. However, it doesn’t seem like the smile is reaching her eyes. She seems like the most sober of them, less obnoxious than the others. She smiles at me when we make eye contact and I give a small smile in return. I watch her group as they make their way to the door. 

The smaller girl separates from the group with another, taller, blonde-haired girl. The taller girl hugs her, swaying, and asks in a slightly nasally, airy voice, “Do you have to go?”

The smaller girl nods her head, “Yes, Violet. My parents said to be home before 2:30am, it’s now 2am. I should get going.” Violet hangs her head and tightly hugs the smaller girl. 

One of the guys from the group steps forward, “I’ll walk you some of the way home. I should get going too.” My senses are suddenly all on edge, something seems off about his words. There’s an odd look on his face, one I don’t like. 

“Are you sure, Jack? You don’t have to leave for me.” The smaller girl looks up at the guy who stepped forward, Jack.

“Yeah, it’s okay. I’m done here.” The girl nods her head and, once she’s grabbed her bag from the small table near the door, they both walk out. Being the nosey person I am, along with the fact that I wasn’t too sure about this Jack guy, I too, grab my stuff and walk outside. Maddie has her phone so she can call me if she needs me. 

They walk across the lawn of the house, and continue down the street, quietly chatting. I follow them silently, keeping my distance but still keeping an eye on the situation. Randomly, they stop and head into a small little playground. It’s not much, just a slide and a small tower structure, but it seems familiar. Through the darkness, in the light of the street lamps, I make it out to be a playground that Maddie and I used to go to when we were little.

The cool air chills my bones but what Jack says next has the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. “You know, you shouldn’t be thinking that.” 

The girl seems lost for words, stuttering over what she’s trying to say, looking up at Jack. “H-h-how do you know what I-I’m thinking?” She manages to get out.

He smirks, a look that I don’t like. “Can you keep a secret?” 

The girl slowly nods, shaking slightly. “I’m Agent M.” She gasps and slowly goes to step back. However, she doesn’t get far before he grabs her arm, stopping her from going anywhere. Hearing this, I leap into the bushes and press the small little concealed button on the collar of my shirt. Thank you so much Cyber. Cyber is the tech guy for the heroes. He works on the technology we use and creates personalised suits for all of us. I seriously don’t know where the team would be without him.

“Now, back what you were thinking there. You really think that?” He smirks as she trembles. He roughly tugs her to him and begins to try to pick her up. At this I leap out from my hiding spot. The girl uses Jack’s, or should I say, Agent M’s surprise to escape and runs towards me. I grab her arm and pull her behind me. 

“Ventum,” He growls.

“What can I do for you mate? Or should I say, Agent M?” I smile fakely at him before leaping forward. Thankfully, no combat is required as I take him by surprise, pinning him to the floor. Just a minute ago, before his confession, I pressed the emergency dial on my phone and thank god I did. I don’t think I could spend another second with this guy without at least getting in a good few punches on his ‘handsome’ face.

The sound of police cars pulling up makes him yell out. “I will be back! Your prisons can not hold me!” I jump off him as a couple of officers come forward with power suppressing handcuffs. I’m truly thankful I just caught this guy. He’s been going around the city robbing banks for ages. Using his powers to make people do whatever he wants, except for heroes or villains with the same or similar power, such as Adfectus who can harness people’s emotions to overwhelm them. I’ve got to say, she’s one of my favourites on the team. Her cynical personality always makes us laugh.

Remembering the small girl who I abandoned in order to catch Agent M, I turn around and walk back towards her. Her eyes are glassy and it looks like she’s torn between awe and bursting into tears. It seems as though she chooses the latter as she suddenly latches on to me and wraps her thin arms around my sides. I, in return, wrap my arms around her and stroke her hair as she sobs into my shoulder.

“Shh, it’s okay. He’s going to be locked up.” I try to console her but it only seems to make it worse. Frantically I try to think of what to say, however she beats me to it.

“I can’t believe I trusted him!” he voice is croaky and rough, full of emotion. I have a suspicion that she might have liked him but it’s not my place to ask something like that. “I thought he was my friend…” She hugs me tightly again, then pulls back suddenly, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t mean to…” She looks up at me, a small amount of fear present in her eyes. Strangely, I find myself wanting that small amount of warmth that her hug offered again. As my superhero self, I find that most people either want a photo, autograph or to just scream over me with their friends. People tend never to show vulnerability. 

“It’s completely fine, I saw what that guy was doing.” I place my hands on her shoulders, “You are allowed to be shaken after that. Not many people can say they’ve had a villain willingly give up their identity to someone.” She gives me a small smile.

“Thank you so much for saving me. I really don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t been here.” She smiles gratefully at me and I return it.

“It’s my job to help people.” She gives me a brief hug and begins to walk away. “Hey!” I yell out, “Do you want me to walk you home? You really shouldn’t be out this late with everything happening in the city right now” Recently, the crime rates have dramatically decreased. Usually, this would be considered a good thing, however in a city filled with villains silence never means anything good. The girl, who’s name I still don’t know, nods her head slowly.

I jog over to her and we begin to walk together. “Where do you live?”

“You know, if you weren’t a superhero I would be very concerned as to why you are asking me that,” she says in a joking tone, however the undertone of fear is not missed by me. I smirk at her in response and chuckle. She smiles up at me, “I live in a flat on the outskirts of the city.”

We continue walking for a while, talking quietly with the occasional chuckle. The streets are chilly and I notice her shivering. “If you turn around for a second, I can change my suit to my normal clothes, and take off my jacket for you.”

“You don’t have to do that, I’ll be fine.” She says, although her continued shivering says differently. 

“You really are stubborn, aren’t you? Okay, turn around.” She does as I ask her and turns her back to me. I quickly press the small button on my collar and transform back to my original clothes. I take my black leather jacket off and pass it to her over her shoulder before pressing the small button again and turning back into my superhero self.

“Thankyou,” she says in a small voice, sounding almost flustered by my offer.

“No problem,” I say, smiling gently at her. The jacket is more than a bit big for her but nonetheless her shivering seems to have stopped. We continue walking until the girl suddenly stops out the front of a short building complex. 

“Well, this is my stop,” she says, sighing, “I’ve enjoyed spending time with you, Ventum.”

“Likewise…oh, I just realised I never got your name!” She looks surprised, like she was expecting me to not care enough to ask her name.

“Eve Harvey.” With just those two words, I find myself lost, lost in a swirl of thoughts and emotions. It can’t be her. I don’t want it to be her. 

“U-uh, okay, Eve. I should get going now, I’ve got some superhero work to be done.” I say, preparing to take off.

“Oh, okay, goodbye then,” she says, a slightly sad tone in her words. I give her a small smile and then take off. The wind rushes past my face, chilling my ears but leaving a feeling of adrenaline in my body. Being a superhero who controls the wind and air, I quite enjoy flying. It usually frees me from any worries. However, not today. I have too much to think about, I can not submit to the anger that bubbles up inside of me. 

She can’t be the person in my dream. I won’t allow it. She was so kind and sweet and the future I saw in my dream was anything but that. The nightmare I had a few nights ago is still fresh in my mind. The severity of it haunts me with every breath I take. I’ve never heard of any non-mind-powered supers having future predicting dreams or nightmares before but I am proof of otherwise. 

These ‘dreams’ are powerful. They feel real and I always wake up drenched in sweat and floating in the air. However, they do not only feel real, but they are. I had one recently where I walked into the car park at school and saw a villain blowing things up, only to have a car thrown in my direction, and the next day, it happened. They don’t always occur immediately after the dream or nightmare. However, this doesn’t deter from the fact that they will happen. 

The one I had a few nights ago was horrific. Everything was blown to pieces. Rubble surrounded me, dust and dirt everywhere. My team were all injured, too wounded to move from where they were caught. I had been the last one standing, facing a woman in a dark purple suit. The woman was too powerful. It had gotten to the point where my last hope was to try and talk to her. 

_Everything seems to fade around me as I recall the dream I had a few nights ago..._

“Why are you doing this?!” I yell, as loud as I can.

“You LIED to me!” Hex screams back at me, her midnight black hair flowing free behind her, giving her a deadly goddess look. 

“Eve, I would never-” She holds her hand up and I find myself unable to speak. 

“I am NOT Eve. Eve Harvey is my past, Hex is my future!” She says, her tone as sharp as a blade but quiet enough that only I would hear her. She begins to walk towards me and I find that I can now speak again.

“I can’t believe that. I won’t believe that.” I shake my head back and forth, tears forming in my eyes and in my heart. It couldn’t be true. I couldn’t let it be.

“Your denial will only bring about your doom, James.” I wince at the way she says my name, her voice full of hate. 

She approaches me and I find myself unable to move an inch. She doesn’t stop until she is right in front of me, her face tilted up slightly to look me in the eye. I find the courage to speak, to say what could possibly be my last words, “I love you, Eve. I always will.”

Hex’s face completely changes. It morphs into one of sadness, sadness but mostly fear. “She’s too strong, James.” I feel tears rolling down my cheeks as she lifts one hand to gently caress my cheek, “It’s taking a lot for me even to do this,” her face strains, as if she’s having an internal battle.

“James, you have to kill me. Please.”


	2. Eve's POV

Supers are strange. I let out a large sigh and walk inside the flat. My dad, George, is passed out on the couch, thank god. I silently walk past him and head into the kitchen. I grab a microwave meal out of the freezer and pop it in the microwave. Hitting the button before it can beep loudly and wake Dad up, I grab it and wince as the plastic burns me. I place it on a tea towel and carry it, along with my phone and a fork, to my room. I plop down on my bed and silently sit and watch videos from the news on my phone. 

There are stories of kids trapped in weird places, ways to lose weight, new scientific discoveries and, of course, supers. Normally the articles about the latest super news wouldn’t interest me. However, after my encounter with one tonight, I find myself strangely curious. Tapping on the most recent one, I notice that it’s about Agent M’s latest robbery, one a few days before today. I exit out of it, the idea of one of my close friend’s being a supervillain doesn’t sit right with me. In a way, I feel responsible for him veering off the right path. 

I’ve had a huge crush on Jack for a long time. Probably since year 8, when he first came to the school. He was instantly popular, but for some reason he chose to hang out with my group. We’re a pretty mismatched group of people. There’s me, the quiet person who never really speaks but listens a lot. There’s also Layla, who I’ve considered my best friend since we were 2. She’s loved by everyone, and with her honey-blonde hair, bright blue eyes and perfect figure, she could be a model. Then there’s Jack, also now known as Agent M. He has sandy strawberry blonde hair, sea green eyes and a figure that could rival Chris Hemsworth’s. The epitome of the word jock.

The only other female in our group is Allison. She’s petite with dark brown curls that frame her face and big chocolate brown eyes. She’s quiet like me but when she has an opinion, she makes it known. There’s two other guys in our group, the twins. Their names are Jake and Lucas. They’re identical twins with thick brown hair and mischievous forest green eyes, about average height but they still tower over me. They love to play pranks on us and I’m 99% sure that they have a ship for everyone in the school.

I click on an article with the title “Is Ventum No Longer Single?!”. I instantly regret it as a large image appears at the top. It’s me with Ventum, from when we were walking to my house. God knows how they got the photo. It was probably taken by someone just looking out their window, the quality is pretty bad.

It shows Ventum and I walking down one of the streets near my house, me wearing his jacket. Oh God… What’s Layla going to have to say about this? I’m certainly not looking forward to her reaction, knowing her it’s going to involve a lot of squealing and her trying to squeeze all the details out of me. I put the empty microwave meal container on my chest of drawers, hop off my bed and walk over to my wardrobe. I grab out my yellow “Why do you write like you’re running out of time” Hamilton quote baggy top and some black cotton shorts. Whilst changing into them, I let out a sigh. My life has never been great. Between my mum leaving, moving schools and well, my father, I’ve always wished for something more. Now, I know that something more is coming, and I’m not sure if I’m ready.

After changing, I hop into bed, soaking up the warmth it offers me. Most people think of Australia as being warm but we have just as much cold weather as we do warm weather. I close my eyes, hoping to drift into a dreamless sleep. But nothing can ever go the way I want it to, right?

Dream…

“I love you, Eve,” a voice whispers. I half open one eye, unsettled at the fact that I’m not alone. I can smell a strange scent. Almost like campfire smoke mixed with pine needles. Opening both eyes fully, I take in my surroundings. I’m in a dark room, obviously lying in bed, and there’s someone next to me. 

I’m assuming they think I’m asleep so I wait a few minutes, listening closely to their breathing to make sure they are asleep before I get up. When I hear their even breathing, I slowly lift the covers off myself and step out of bed. The floor is a soft thick carpet and based on the very little I can see in the moonlight shining through the window, the room is fairly large. 

I slowly begin walking forward, trying not to trip over something in the darkness. I make my way to the other side of the room, knowing I’ve reached the door when I feel a cool metal knob stick into my side. I silently inch the door open and walk down what seems to be a hallway. I know I’m passing different entrances to rooms as I run my hands along the walls and feel the textures change. I sense the hallway ending and I’m offered a clear view of a large open space with a modern kitchen, dining area and joint living room. The big open windows that stretch from the floor to the roof on two walls of the room make it easy to see things in the bright light from the moon that shines through. 

I tiptoe around the furniture and approach a wall with dozens of photographs on it. I’m hoping I’ll be able to find out who’s house I’m currently in. However, I’m disappointed to find that when I look at each image, the faces are blurred. Almost as if my mind doesn’t want me to know who it is. 

I’m suddenly startled out of my state of confusion as I feel warm arms wrap around me from behind and a head rests on my shoulder. “What are you doing up, Eve?” A low voice says. I try to turn around and see who it is but everything begins to fade away around me.

End of dream…

  
  


I sit up quickly, pulling my knees up to my chest and nursing my throbbing head in my arms. I breath in and out slowly in an attempt to calm my racing heart. Sweat covers every inch of my body and I’m shaking with emotion. It felt so real. It felt  _ familiar _ . Laying back down I think about what I just experienced. It was like a memory, but it’s like a memory I haven’t had yet. I let the warmth of my bed embrace me and drift off into sleep.

**. . .**

My life isn’t a fairytale. I don’t get greeted by singing birds like Cinderella, or by a talking candle like Belle. I get woken up by my heavily drunk father demanding I make him breakfast. “Get up. You should do something for me once in your life. That damn school isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

I ignore his comment, get out of bed and try to push past him to get out of the room. The smell of his intoxicated breath is overwhelming my senses and making me feel  nauseous. . However, before I can leave the room, a large, rough hand pushes me backwards. I stumble over my rug before I regain my balance once again. 

“Did you just ignore me? You useless brat,” he seethes at me. I grimace, knowing what is coming for me before it happens. A meaty fist hits my cheek and sends me flying backwards onto my bed. Then an empty beer bottle comes flying towards me, followed by a slap on my cheek. I force myself not to cry at his next words, “That’s why your mother left us. YOU.” He throws a bottle on the ground, sending shards of glass across the floor of my room.

Once he’s gone, I rise from where I’d fallen and make my way to the tiny vanity against the wall opposite my bed. I grab out the little makeup I have and dab some along the new marks on my face. He’s right. It is my fault that Mum left. My father has been like this since she packed her bags and practically ran out the door. And it was my fault she did. My fault.

Sighing, I walk out of my bedroom into the tiny kitchen of our apartment. My father is passed out on the couch at the moment but I know he’ll wake soon. And when he does, he’ll be in a foul mood if I haven’t done what he’s asked of me. 

I crack some eggs into a bowl, not bothering to check if they’re within use-by, and shove some toast into the falling apart Kmart toaster in the corner of the kitchen. Today is the 1st of January 2020. Hopefully, a new year means new beginnings. I make myself a cup of coffee using the pod machine that I bought with my most recent paycheck from the cafe where I work. 

I’m honestly surprised it hasn’t been destroyed in during one of his… outbursts, yet. Usually, a lot of things are damaged during those, one of them, being me. I get through it though. I have to.

  
  


**. . .**

An hour later and I’m heading out the door to meet Jackie. Stepping into the hallway I wave at Mr Heel who lives next door to us. He’s the only one who knows how my father acts towards me. I made him swear not to call the police, he agreed providing that if it ever became really serious, I would call the police and talk to him about it. Of course, my Dad has gotten worse, I just haven’t told Mr Heel. He doesn’t need to deal with a walking disaster like me. 

He waves back at me and smiles kindly. “Good morning, Eve.”

“Good morning, Mr Heel,” I reply, smiling genuinely at him. I wave goodbye to him and make my way towards the lift. I don’t want to have a difficult conversation with him that involves me lying about everything. Right now he believes that my dad is going to a support group to help with his alcohol addiction and I am seeing a psychologist. I mean, I am seeing the school counsellor, but she doesn’t know about any of the stuff that happens at home. It’s easy to lie to her.

I’m walking down the street, enjoying the sunshine when suddenly a shadow blocks the sun from me. I look up and find myself at eye level with a t-shirt covered chest. I look up further, shielding my eyes from the small bit of sun that shines through the guy’s messy golden blonde hair. He grins at me, probably his signature smile. I can already tell within a second of seeing him that he’s an attractive guy. His eyes are what draws me in though. They are exquisite. His eyes are sea green, shining with waves on an ocean of inner turmoil.

“So, we meet again,” he says, his voice is fairly high, for a guy. A cheerful tone to it.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” I ask, raising a brow. As far as I’m aware, I’ve never met this guy in my life. He obviously recognises me though. 

I seem to have caught him off guard, he looks startled for a second, as if a realisation is dawning on him. Then, his face morphs into a sheepish look. I can tell that an idiotic comment is coming. “I’m sure I’ve met your eyes before, they stare into my soul. As my heart pitifully calls ‘Where is my juliet?” I can’t help it, I burst out laughing. That is the absolute strangest pick up line I’ve  _ ever _ heard.

I decide to play along, “Oh, wow. I don’t even know what to say. I am afraid of the call of my heart, yearning for your cheesy one liners. ‘Romeo, romeo, where art thou Romeo?’” Laughter erupts from his chest at my response.

“You know, I’ve never met someone quite like you. I’ve only known you for, what, 2 minutes and I already feel like we’re  _ soulmates _ .” He says in an airy voice as he places his hands in a V shape under his chin and pretends to be a 13 year old girl swooning over a guy. I burst out laughing and he grins, a proper one this time. It reaches his eyes. 

“Hey, here we are throwing warped Romeo and Juliet lines back and forth and I don’t even know your name yet. I’m Eve, Eve Harvey.” I say, sticking my hand out in front of me to shake his. He smiles gently, almost with a touch of regret or sadness.

“I’m James,” he kneels down and takes my extended hand and brings it to his lips. Leaving a tingly feeling on my hand and a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Eve.”

“Oh, so we’re still following the renaissance act are we?” I grin and giggle. I giggled? He gives a small smile in response. Not with the same enthusiasm as before though. “Well, I have to go. I’m meeting a friend,” I say. I decide to take a chance, “Could we… exchange numbers?”

He smiles at me again, “Sure.” I pass him my phone and he puts his number in. “Send me a text, I’ll create your contact from that.” I take my phone back and open the new contact, typing a Romeo and Juliet quote, Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more annoying. Ok, so yeah, I didn’t follow it exactly.

He laughs at my message as it appears on his phone. After putting his phone in his pocket he looks me in the eyes, “I hope you speak to you again soon, Eve.”

“Me too, James.” 

And with that we go our separate ways. 


End file.
